C 10
"I hope you can maintain that distance when speaking with my daughter..."
He licked his lips slowly.
"Does anyone have any objections?"
Everyone shook their heads simultaneously, blinded by that kind and considerate question.
Because they all knew what would happen if they nodded here.
"Oh, my lady..."
From ten steps away, a pitiful call sounded like the buzzing of a mosquito.
I awkwardly smiled with a bewildered expression, and the man cautiously opened his mouth, noticing Erno Etham.
"If I show you a map, would you know...?"
I slowly shook my head.
I didn't know how to read a map, and I had absolutely no talent for it.
Because I was a very forgetful person who could forget the way back I took an hour ago.
However, no matter how little, I at least knew the way to the back mountain.
"Don't you know where it is?"
"I do!"
"Where is it?"
"In the back mountain!"
"What...?"
Duke Miriel asked with a furrowed brow as if he couldn't understand what I was saying.
"In the back mountain!"
"... Where is that mountain?"
"Here?"
"... Is there a floating stone on the mountain behind here?"
"Yes!"
Duke Miriel fell silent for a moment, as if he had no words.
It must be because it was closer than he thought.
Of course, when I read the novel, it was also a bit absurd. I understand.
"It's the back mountain... Maybe you mistook it for a stone someone threw at you? Because at first glance, it also looks like it's flying..."
"However, it's true that I didn't investigate the back mountain. I never thought there would be..."
"Well, what mountain would a young lady go see...?"
"There's nothing to lose by checking it. Verify it."
"Alright."
Listening to the conversation, I wondered if they would find it on their own without my interference.
Indeed, floating stones in the air were not common.
"Daughter."
At that call, I instinctively turned my head.
Kyuk-
A long finger lightly pressed against my cheek. Unknowingly, my eyes opened.
"Father...?"
"Why does my daughter know so much?"
At that moment, my eyes rolled in a state of shock upon hearing those deep and meaningful words.
"Little fluffy thing, I..."
The moment Duke Miriel called me, someone hastily opened the door of the conference room and entered.
"Your Excellency the Duke!"
"What's this commotion?"
"There's something I need to urgently inform you about what you requested the other day..."
The man who opened the conference room door quickly whispered something in Duke Miriel's ear.
"... Are you sure?"
"Yes, according to the reports, it's over 90% certain."
Duke Miriel's mountain-like eyes trembled slightly, and then he rose from his seat without delay.
"That girl's daughter is in a place like that... Tsk, today's meeting ends here!"
Duke Miriel left the conference room as swiftly as the wind, along with the vassal who had come to deliver the news.
No one else seemed to have any idea what was going on, but I have an idea.
The heroine will come soon.
I thought silently while in the arms of Erno Etham.
"The heroine...?"
Oh...?
"Isn't it faster than I thought?!"
Was her original appearance this early?
No, of course, the heroine's adoption date was not exactly written in the novel.
One day, the heroine, like sunshine, suddenly arrived and took control of the house in an instant.
It has been described that the Etham family members feel comfortable when they are near the heroine due to her ability to calm their "outbursts."
Perhaps that's why Erno Etham, who is experiencing the hardest "berserk," seems to have been interested in the heroine first.
"Is it about a week, including the time the duke travels back and forth?"
If the heroine appears, they might soon forget about me.
"Mmm."
"Daughter, what's troubling you?"
My body trembled at the sound of the voice in my ear.
When I looked at Erno Etham while holding my ear, he was smiling brightly for some reason.
"Oh...? He's upset."
He smiled brightly when he was in a bad mood.
"Father...?"
Now that I think about it, I was in the arms of this person.
"Sometimes I don't know what my daughter is thinking."
"Yes?"
"It's almost dinnertime. I'm thinking of introducing you to my sons tonight."
"Sons?"
"Yes, my daughter's older brothers."
He's talking about those two people who proudly declared holidays at the New Year's meeting.
At first, they clashed with the female protagonist, but in the end, they developed a sibling complex and died because of it.
"He's going so far as to introduce me to his sons... This person really acts like it's real."
I could guess why the man who pretended to be dating Erno Etham last year had been begging him to stay by his side since he didn't need money.
He's a really bad guy.
I shook my head.
"But I heard that he made a deal with him from the beginning to pretend they were dating..."
Well, this way, is it the other guy's fault for not properly distinguishing between public and private matters?
No, when I think about it now.
My future is bleak.
"Don't you want to?"
"No! If my father wants to, I want to too!"
"Is that so?"
"Yes!"
Then, somehow, let's work hard to play the role of a daughter that suits his taste.
And if the heroine comes in, and this person gets tired of me, I can take the bank account and go to the orphanage I saw back then!
The good thing is that once an account is opened, you can't delete it or withdraw money unless it's the person in question.
That's true even for parents.
After being in that orphanage, I could return the wizard tower's future owner to the lost noble family and ask for help.
"First and foremost, money is important."
While I was thinking, Erno Etham took me to my room.
"Does my daughter like me?"
"Yes, I like you!"
"Why?"
Why?
Because you're the source of my money...?
Because you're a psychopath, but you're definitely paying for my work...?
...I couldn't bear to say it, so I shook my head.
"Because... you're handsome! And cool!"
"Is that so, and what else?"
What else?
What more do you want to squeeze out?
"Oh... and very strong! Once my father speaks, everyone flees!"
"Mmm."
What don't you like! I really couldn't understand what the hell he was thinking.
"In reality... I didn't like those people from before. So my father seemed like a warrior!"
"A warrior? However, I don't really like warriors much."
It's really difficult.
"Demon king...?"
When I quickly changed my words, waving my palms, he smiled slightly.
"Not bad. Anyway, I didn't know my daughter would also dislike people."
No, it's not that I dislike them...
"No, but I don't really like them much."
Hearing my words, he smiled satisfactorily.
"My daughter has a lot in common with me. I don't like those bastards either... No. I don't like people because they're noisy."
Did you just say bastards?
You were going to say bastards but changed your mind?!
I looked at him in disbelief and awkwardly smiled as if I didn't know.
He led me to the room.
"See you at dinner then."
"Yes! Goodbye, Father."
I bid him a gentle farewell and slipped under the bed.
"Phew, it's good that it's still there."
Under the bed, the money I had saved from the day before the New Year's meeting was wrapped in an old cloth.
I had taken gold ornaments, silverware, and jewelry that were decorated with stone statues from here and there in the annex building.
It took quite a while to bring it back without anyone noticing the day we moved.
I'm fully prepared.
Will the female protagonist arrive soon?
I won't cling to Erno Etham.
Instead, I'll ask for money.
I nodded happily at the rather perfect plan.
* * *
At dinner time, Mayla got busy.
She put me in a yellow dress she had brought from somewhere, blushing slightly and playing with my cheek.
"As expected, the young lady looks cute no matter what she wears..."
"Really?"
"Yes, really..."
Mayla, who came to this mansion, changed.
Originally, she was a kind and pleasant person, but she became even more motivated.
I wondered if it might be because Mayla's status had risen since she came to the mansion.
"As expected, money is the best."
It was the absolute truth of the world.
Knock, knock.
Just as I was about to finish getting ready for dinner, I heard a neat knocking sound.
"My father is here already?"
Mayla quickly opened the door with a tense expression as if she were more surprised than me.
I also stood at the door to welcome him while holding the stuffed tiger by my side.
However, the person at the door was not Erno Etham.
